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tablespoonful

medium
UK/ˈteɪb(ə)lspuːnˌfʊl/US/ˈteɪbəlˌspunˌfʊl/

informal to neutral

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Definition

Meaning

A unit of capacity equal to the amount held by a tablespoon, typically equivalent to three teaspoons or approximately 15 milliliters.

A convenient culinary or pharmaceutical measurement term used to specify dosage or ingredient quantity without requiring measurement with an actual spoon.

Linguistics

Semantic Notes

The term denotes both the measurement unit itself and the specific quantity being measured. It's often used interchangeably with 'tablespoon' when referring to quantity rather than the utensil.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

Both varieties use the term similarly, though British recipes may sometimes specify 'level tablespoonful' or 'heaped tablespoonful' more explicitly.

Connotations

Slightly old-fashioned or formal compared to simply 'tablespoon' in modern cooking contexts.

Frequency

More common in written recipes, medication instructions, and older texts than in everyday spoken language.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
a level tablespoonfula heaped tablespoonfula rounded tablespoonfultwo tablespoonfulstake one tablespoonful
medium
measure a tablespoonfuladd a tablespoonfulmix in a tablespoonfulrecipe calls for a tablespoonful
weak
approximately a tablespoonfulroughly a tablespoonfulabout a tablespoonful ofgenerous tablespoonful

Grammar

Valency Patterns

NP take [QUANT] tablespoonful of NPNP add [QUANT] tablespoonful to NPNP measure out [QUANT] tablespoonful

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Strong

tbsp

Neutral

tablespoon15 mlhalf an ounce

Weak

large spoonfulserving spoon quantity

Vocabulary

Antonyms

teaspoonfulpinchdashdrop

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

  • “Not worth a tablespoonful of salt”

Usage

Context Usage

Business

Rare, except perhaps in food manufacturing specifications.

Academic

Used in chemistry, pharmacology, and nutritional science for precise measurement descriptions.

Everyday

Common in home cooking, baking, and following medication instructions.

Technical

Standard in pharmaceutical compounding, herbal medicine, and recipe formulation.

Examples

By Part of Speech

noun

British English

  • Add a heaped tablespoonful of flour to the mixture.
  • The medicine requires three tablespoonfuls to be taken daily.
  • A level tablespoonful is the standard measure for baking powder.

American English

  • Stir in one tablespoonful of vanilla extract.
  • The cough syrup dosage is two tablespoonfuls every four hours.
  • For this recipe, a generous tablespoonful of butter is needed.

Examples

By CEFR Level

A2
  • Add one tablespoonful of oil to the pan.
  • The baby takes a tablespoonful of medicine.
B1
  • The instructions say to dissolve a tablespoonful of the powder in warm water.
  • You'll need approximately two tablespoonfuls of honey for this marinade.
B2
  • To achieve the perfect consistency, incorporate a scant tablespoonful of cornflour mixed with water.
  • Historically, apothecaries would measure remedies using a brass tablespoonful.
C1
  • The formulation error was traced back to an ambiguity between a metric tablespoonful and the older imperial standard.
  • Herbal tinctures are often administered in doses of a few tablespoonfuls, depending on the patient's constitution.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think of a TABLE where you eat, and a SPOON you use there, FULL of food. A tablespoonful is what fills that dining table spoon.

Conceptual Metaphor

CONTAINER FOR VOLUME (The spoon is a container holding a specific, standardized amount).

Watch out

Common Pitfalls

Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)

  • Don't confuse with 'столовая ложка' which can refer to either the utensil or the measurement. Use 'столовая ложка (объём)' for clarity when meaning the measurement specifically.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'tablespoonfuls' instead of 'tablespoonsful' (both are accepted, but the latter is more traditional)
  • Confusing with 'teaspoonful' (3x smaller)
  • Omitting 'of' after the quantity (e.g., 'add two tablespoonful sugar' should be 'add two tablespoonfuls of sugar').

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
For the glaze, you'll need to mix a of lemon juice with the icing sugar.
Multiple Choice

Which of the following is the most precise synonym for 'tablespoonful' in a scientific context?

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

In modern usage regarding measurements, they are often used interchangeably. However, 'tablespoonful' explicitly refers to the amount held by the spoon, while 'tablespoon' can refer to either the utensil or the measurement.

There are three teaspoonfuls in one tablespoonful.

Yes, it is a unit of volume, so it can be used for both, though for dry ingredients, terms like 'level', 'heaped', or 'rounded' are often added for clarity.

Both 'tablespoonfuls' and 'tablespoonsful' are considered correct, though 'tablespoonfuls' is more common in contemporary usage.